Commuters and Christmas shoppers in West London are facing significant travel disruption as a series of bus strikes hit key routes in the final days before the festive break.
Strike action disrupts key routes
More than 350 drivers, engineers, and stores workers employed by London Transit have walked out, causing major reductions or complete cancellations on seven bus routes. The affected services are the 13, 23, 31, N31, 218, 295, and 452, impacting swathes of Central and West London.
The current wave of industrial action began on Monday, December 22, and is scheduled to last until the end of service on Christmas Eve, December 24. This follows earlier strikes held on December 12 and 15. The dispute centres on a pay offer from employer First Bus London, which was rejected by members of the Unite trade union.
Union and company at loggerheads over pay
Unite Regional Officer Callum Rochford accused London Transit of attempting to "short-change" its workforce. He stated that the company's parent firm, First Bus London, needed to return to negotiations with a fair offer to end the dispute promptly.
Unite claims the rejected pay deal would have introduced a new, lower-paid starter grade for drivers, a move strongly opposed by the union. In response, a spokesperson for First Bus London confirmed that further talks with Unite are scheduled, expressing hope for a resolution to end the disruption for passengers and the loss of earnings for striking employees.
Passengers feel the strain during festive period
The Local Democracy Reporting Service spoke to passengers at stops in Shepherd's Bush and along Goldhawk Road, where the impact was being keenly felt. Kelly Augustine, who relies on the affected 218 service to travel to work, described the strikes as "an annoyance" that had made her commute more difficult.
"Luckily it's not too far…[with the] 306 there's another bus with that journey," she said, highlighting the scramble for alternatives. Another passenger, Ouidad, who uses the 295, said the walkout would "100 per cent" impact people, noting, "It's a hard time. It's Christmas." She added she would wait for her preferred bus or be forced to walk.
Transport for London (TfL) has advised all passengers to plan their journeys ahead during the Christmas period, warning that other local services may be busier than usual. A spokesperson for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which manages Charing Cross Hospital—a stop on the reduced 295 route—urged patients, visitors, and staff to check their travel plans and allow extra time.
The disruption is set to return after Christmas, with another strike planned from 5am on December 31 until 5am on New Year's Day. TfL confirms all other bus, Tube, and rail services are expected to run normally alongside the affected routes.
